Fascinating facts about the
invention
of
Aspirin by Felix Hoffmann in 1897.

ASPIRIN

AT A GLANCE:

Felix Hoffmann, a German
chemist, produced a stable form of acetylsalicylic acid, more commonly
known as aspirin, in 1897. Hoffmann, was searching for something to relieve his
father's arthritis. He studied French chemist Charles Gergardt's
experiments and "rediscovered" acetylsalicylic acid--or aspirin, as we
now know it.

The Story:
The effects of aspirin-like substances have been known since the ancient
Romans recorded the use of the willow bark as a fever fighter. The leaves
and bark of the willow tree contain a substance called salicin, a naturally
occurring compound similar to acetylsalicylic acid, the chemical name for
aspirin.

Even as far back as 400 B.C. Hippocrates recommended a tea made
from yellow leaves. It wasn't until the 1800's that scientists discovered
what was in the willow tree that relieved pain and reduced fever. The
substance was named salicylic acid. But when people suffering from pain took
the salicylic acid, it caused sever stomach and mouth irritation.

In 1832, a
thirty-seven-year-old French chemist named Charles Gergardt mixed another
chemical with the acid and produced good results, but the procedure was
difficult and took a lot of time. Gerhardt decided the new compound wasn't
practial, so he set aside.

Sixty-five-years later a German chemist, Felix Hoffmann, was searching for
something to relieve his father's arthritis. He studied Gerhardt's
experiments and "rediscovered" acetylsalicylic acid--or aspirin, as we now
know it.

Dr. Lawrence Craven, a California general
practitioner, in 1948, notices that the 400 men he prescribed aspirin to
hadn't suffered any heart attacks. He regularly recommends to all patients
and colleagues that "an aspirin a day" could dramatically reduce the risk of
heart attack.

In 1971 John Vane began his work on aspirin.
Over a weekend he conceived the notion that the mysterious drug might work
by inhibiting the generation of prostaglandins. He turned again to his
bioassay system for the answer and within a few days he had convinced
himself and his colleagues that this indeed was the missing mechanism of
action.

ON THE BOOKSHELF:The
Kid Who Invented the Popsicle: And Other Surprising Stories About Inventionsby Don L. Wulffson / Paperback - 128 pages(1999) / Puffin
Brief factual stories about how various familiar things were invented, many by accident,
from animal crackers to the zipper. Mistakes
That Workedby Charlotte Foltz Jones, John O'Brien (Illustrator) / Paperback - 48
pages (1994) / Doubleday Recounting the fascinating stories behind the accidental inventions of forty
familiar objects and products. How Does Aspirin
Find a Headache?
by David Feldman, Kassie Schwan (Illustrator) / Paperback: 288 pages / Harper Perennial
(July 1994)
David Feldman once again sparks our curiosity with a book of Imponderables -- the seventh
book in the wildly successful series that has sold one million copies.
Aspirin : The Remarkable Story of a Wonder Drug
by Diarmuid Jeffreys / Paperback: 352 pages / Bloomsbury USA (September 5,
2005)
Rich in dramatic twists and discoveries, the story of aspirin begins in
ancient Egypt, and embraces wars, epidemics, espionage, an Oxfordshire
vicar, a forgotten Jewish scientist, the Industrial Revolution, a common
tree, the Treaty of Versailles, the world's most powerful pharmaceutical
companies, Auschwitz, a mercurial advertising genius, and much more.
Aspirin: The Miracle Drug
by Eric Metcalf / Paperback: 212 pages / Avery Publishing Group (April 7,
2005)
Open any medicine cabinet coast-to-coast and you're nearly guaranteed to
find a bottle of aspirin crowded among the lotions and other pills. Aspirin
has been used to cure headaches, arthritis, fevers, and inflammation since
Hippocrates first began grinding willow bark

ON THE SCREEN:Mavericks, Miracles and Medicine
DVD / 2 Volume Set / 200 Minutes / History Channel / Less than $40.00
The arsenals of today's hospitals are filled with complex and
technologically sophisticated tests and treatments that, only a
generation ago, would have been the exclusive province of science
fiction.

ON THE WEB:100 Years of
AspirinWho discovered aspirin? (URL: www.bayeraspirin.com/questions/hundred_aspirin.htm)Wonder Drug AspirinHow does aspirin work? Visit the official site dedicated to the wonder
drug aspirin.(URL:www.wonderdrug.com)
Sir John Vane
Ingenious and perceptive pharmacologist who won the Nobel Prize for Medicine
after discovering how aspirin worked
(URL: www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,60-1373136,00.html)National
Inventors Hall of Fame
The National Inventors Hall of Fame™ honors
the women and men responsible for the great technological advances that make
human, social and economic progress possible..
(URL: www.invent.org/hall_of_fame/184.html)
Felix Hoffmann Biography
The "inventor" of Aspirin remained unknown to the international public. He
lived in Switzerland out of the public eye until his death in 1946. Felix
Hoffmann was never married and had no children.
(URL:
www.bayer.com/about-bayer/history/biographies/felix-hoffmann/page1219.htm)Bayer Corporation USA
Changing the world with great care. Other innovations from Bayer Corporation.(URL: www.bayerus.com/about/index.html)National Institutes of Health
(NIH)Official Web site of the Department of Health and Human
Services(URL: www.nih.gov)Aspirin
Foundation
A source of information for consumers, health professionals and
journalists on all scientific and general aspects of aspirin usage
(URL: www.aspirin-foundation.com/)
A Twist to the Story.
Up until recently official histories made no mention of Arthur Eichengrun’s
role in the development of aspirin. Article by Best Practice Advocacy
Centre.
(URL: www.bpac.org.nz/default.asp?action=article&ID=202)

HOW IT WORKS:Aspirin reduces the production of hormone-like substances
called prostaglandins, which are produced in tissues throughout the body. Prostaglandins
have many functions. They are part of the chemical messenger systems involved in feeling
pain, fever, the redness and swelling that can accompany injuries, and even in contracting
certain muscles, for example, the uterus. Since aspirin lowers the amount of
prostaglandins, it can help alleviate conditions like pain, fever and the discomfort of
menstrual cramps. Aspirin also reduces production of substances involved in the early
stages of our body's blood clotting mechanism. This is why doctors may prescribe aspirin,
as part of a regimen including diet and exercise, for appropriate individuals with
cardiovascular disease.